By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Dion Foulkes yesterday confirmed his desire to run in the 2017 election after he was recommended for nomination by the party's Yamacraw Constituency Association (YCA).
Mr Foulkes received his recommendation letter on Thursday night at a general meeting in Yamacraw, a bid that will go on to the Candidates Committee and then the party's Central Council for final approval.
He discussed his aspirations for a successful nomination in an interview with The Tribune amid speculation that former senator Heather Hunt had been shortlisted by party leadership for the seat.
According to party insiders, FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis met Mrs Hunt to discuss her candidacy as the party seeks to shore up female representation.
"I definitely intend to run," Mr Foulkes said, "but you know there is an internal process which all prospective candidates must abide by, and as a former chairman I'm very familiar with it. I'm not aware of of any meetings [with Heather Hunt], and it isn't something that would come to my attention but the leader has been meeting with several prospective candidates.
"The party is in the process of getting ready for the general election and we want to get our candidates out in the field early."
In 2012, Mr Foulkes lost to Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MP Melanie Griffin by a little over 400 votes. The eastern New Providence constituency has long been considered a PLP stronghold as Mrs Griffin has held the seat since 2002.
However, Mr Foulkes said he thinks the PLP has become very unpopular with the electorate, specifically younger voters.
"I have been going door-to-door over the last several months, and many promises were made to many families which were not kept. Basically the [Yamacraw] residents are very concerned about the crime rate and security to their family, and about the economic situation. The introduction of VAT and not only unemployment but underemployment," he said, "a lot of people that are working find it very difficult to meet their bills on a monthly basis."
In the YCA letter, addressed to FNM headquarters and dated June 12, it was noted that Mr Foulkes had been active in the constituency since the last general election and as such was suitable to be the standard bearer for the party.
It was signed by YCA Chairman Synida Dorsett, former Secretary General of the Bahamas Public Service Union, secretary Helen Ingraham,and 10 other members. Among the signatures were Anthony Capron, former editor of The Nassau Guardian and former Deputy Director of Bahamas Information Services, and Central Council representative Jason Hanna.
"We're one of the few constituencies that has kept our headquarters open," Mr Foukes said, "sometimes at great sacrifice to myself and other constituency members. I feel very good about winning my seat. I'm confident the FNM will win the election and if I'm given the honour to be able to run I am sure I will win this seat."
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 5 months ago
Another dead beat "wanna be for life politician" who just doesn't know when to call it quits. The FNM is in desperate need of a new leader and new younger faces among its slate of candidates in the next general election. As an extinct dinosaur from an era of politics that has our country mired in so many difficult problems today, Foulkes should be told by the FNM party to forget active politics and get on with other things in his life.
duppyVAT 9 years, 5 months ago
Dion Foulkes would be better served as a candidate in MICAL ............. he is a veteran and has roots in Inagua and as a former candidate............. and he can take on and defeat V Alfred Gray this time.
Economist 9 years, 5 months ago
Dion's time as a front line politician is over. He needs to become a wise advisor and mentor young politicians.
DON"T RUN DION
TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago
Comrades wait for it when next week Daron Cash, another FNM who cannot get elected, will lay claim his potential House of Assembly seat. Seems Papa Hubert's boys are fast raising their ugly heads from the political bone yards, the voters sent them to back in 2012.
EasternGate 9 years, 5 months ago
Dion it's time to fold em'
duppyVAT 9 years, 5 months ago
Sooooooo, if Dion is too old ................. what do you call Perry, BJ, Gomez, Brave and Fweddy????? ................. or Dick Lightbourn and ole Eddie???????
Is Tommy, Vargo, Carl and Dion bankrupt of ideas??????
ohdrap4 9 years, 5 months ago
it is not that he is too old. he has had his time.
Reader 9 years, 5 months ago
The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.
Guy 9 years, 5 months ago
I believe Dion has lost his last 3 bids for elected office. My goodness!! Pack up and call it quits. The people don't want you anymore.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago
If the FNM wants to win they better not serve up the same old faces again. These people seem to think (just like the PLP) that their family name, their title as "lawyers", because they were there with Pindling or just because they have a nice suit, that they are entitled to political office. Please send people with no taint of corruption, above average intelligence, evidence of concern for poor people outside of the run up to Election Day, no sense of entitlement, ethical, hardworking, successful in business/ and not bankrupt. Good personal relationships with women, not women abusers or serial misusers. For heavens sake send us some leaders and people worthy to be representatives. Have a trained HR person conduct a series of interviews to determine their fitness for office. Weed out all the "maniacs". Megalomaniacs, kleptomaniacs, nymphomaniacs
If they are serious have every single candidate sign onto a code of ethics and conduct. Have them publicly declare the behaviour they will not engage in, quieting property, taking money to award contracts, opening shell companies to funnel govt contracts to themselves, preying on females employed in their ministries for sexual favours, yeah declare that publicly, give favour to their friends outside of the normal procedures in any area, including but not limited to jobs, contracts or resources including crown land. Let no one be able to declare "I didn't know that was wrong" that's all we've heard for forty years.
Btw Alfred Gray is a COMPLETE disgrace.
TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago
Hah! Comrade ThisIsIt you really would have nailed it all but for one imperative, cuz as long as da intelligence of those selecting party candidates dont's be looking much different than the one's they's be anointing to run for House of Assembly seats, the distribution of who runs and who does not run in 2017 will probably look much as it did back in 2012.
duppyVAT 9 years, 5 months ago
We need a good combo of young and veteran politicians who are willing to build a truly modern Bahamas .................... sadly the present PLP combo is not working .......... Let us just hope that HAM or Bran can build such a cross-generational coalition in the next 12 months.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago
It's interesting to me that despite the overwhelming view that our representatives serve us better if they're trained lawyers, our laws remain behind the times. We have young people flying drones over people's houses talking about launching a business once they learn to "fly it properly". Wrong on so many levels, where is the legislation? Yet some months ago Glennis Hanna Martin was smiling broadly beside another drone upstart talking about how "wonderful" this was. Couldn't she see this coming? People were sending warnings for an entire year. And that is just one example. Alfred Gray can claim that "I didn't know" is an excuse for a "possible" criminal act. No one acknowledges that the constitution specifically prohibits a sitting member from receiving government contracts, in very plain language btw. We don't need lawyers, we need honest people with vision and the ability to execute. This is by no means directed at Dion Foulkes, I'm just really disillusioned with these empty suits with titles and a false sense of entitlement being offered to us as candidates. I wish the parties would realize that once elected these lacklustre, weakest link dummies could be the downfall of the entire government, case in point Shane Gibson and Alfred Gray.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 5 months ago
Let's not forget that Christie and the PLP now have one other very serious political liability and outright dead weight: Allyson Maynard-Gibson.
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